Moving Cows

[Red007]

We are planning on moving our cow herd from a grass pasture to a mostly white clover pasture. Any advice as to what we should do to help them with the transition.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

We are planning on moving our cow herd from a grass pasture to a mostly white clover pasture. Any advice as to what we should do to help them with the transition.

you better get them on some bloat blocks. a few days before hand. for good insurance

 

[Limomike]

yep.. I agree... watch for the bloating..

 

[mnmtranching]

Make sure your cows aren't real hungry when you turn them in the clover, maybe let them fill up on hay first.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Make sure your cows aren't real hungry when you turn them in the clover, maybe let them fill up on hay first.

Agreed. Maybe think about putting hay out in the clover pasture while your at it.

Oh, and don't keep them on there for too long, like regulate the length of time that they're on there.

 

[Red007]

Thank you for the advice. A little more information, the cows currently are also eating corn silage and food grade soy bean hulls (we got those for free). We have some clover baleage and first cutting alafalfa baleage. We planned on feeding them a bale or two before we turned them out onto the red clover pasture. We also did buy a bloat block for them. So if you have any more advice I'd be glad to hear it. Thanks, Mom of Red007

 

[lukem86]

maybe others can chime in on this, but I would think you might run into trouble with acidosis... feeding highly fermented feeds and spring pastures that are very high in digestible energy.

Im not an expert, just something to think about. I am trying to get my hands on a pH meter to check the manure of my cows right now. they are still pretty runny after several weeks on grass, and seem to be overheating easily right now... have a hunch something isnt right. pasture is pretty hot, lot of white clover, birdsfoot trefoil and p. ryegrass

 

[TheBullLady]

Yes, be very careful of bloat! We lost two this year.. and we've never lost any.

Bloat blocks are okay, except you don't know which cows are eating it, and how much they've had.

If you can get them eating hay before you turn them in, and they limit the time they eat, you'll be a lot safer.

 

[Emgen]

If you can not slowly transition them between the two pastures, consider getting them on some alfalpha in thier current pasture. This may help to acclimate them to a higher protein diet. Bloat blocks are a good ideal as well. Regards

 

[Stocker Steve]

We are planning on moving our cow herd from a grass pasture to a mostly white clover pasture. Any advice as to what we should do to help them with the transition.

I have tried hay, bloat blocks, grain supplements, and swath grazing. I think they can all help to some extent, but swath grazing seems to be the most bullet proof. All the other methods rely on individual intake. I have one steer that will walk by ground ear corn to eat old hay...